A life-size figure of Sir Winston Churchill went under the hammer for nearly £8,000 on Saturday.

At £7,800 including premium, Churchill was the highest selling out of a collection of waxworks made by London’s Madame Tussauds and Gems Studio that were sold at Chippenham Auction Rooms on the same day as the commemoration of the wartime leader’s funeral 50 years ago.

Auctioneer Richard Edmonds said: “The buyers surprisingly weren’t museums but all private individuals.

“They were from all over the place, Churchill going to London, Tom Thumb staying locally.”

Seven figures fetched a total of £19,200.

King Henry VIII, who came complete with all his six wives, was the second most lucrative at £3,600.

Figures of a police woman, Queen Alexandra and a bearded Chelsea Pensioner in traditional uniform each made £1,800, and Tom Thumb and a newspaper boy each made £1,200.

But five others, including Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin failed to sell and will be returned to the client.

All belonged to Yesterday’s World museum in Norfolk, dedicated to the Victorian era and early 20th century, which closed down in November.

The waxworks also raised £80 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance after 80 people took selfies with them before the sale.